What is it about?
This case study examined the impact that a new school building had on staff culture and students' learning experiences in a rural, Midwestern district. My analysis of the findings led to a reconceptualization of Owens and Valesky's school climate model, one that went beyond showing a generic relationship among the four factors and instead shows which factors have influence and direction on the others.
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Why is it important?
The district employed a number of reforms in an effort to make school "irresistible" to students. The physical changes to the building influenced teaching and planning practices; cultivated opportunities for a communal staff culture; fostered opportunities for student collaboration; facilitated opportunities for student autonomy; and improved overall morale. The findings show the importance of attending to the physical environment of school buildings when designing reform efforts.
Perspectives
Unlike many reform efforts which are imposed by external entities, this district took the initiative to decide for itself what reform should look like that would best meet the needs of the students in its community.
Dr Adrienne C Goss
Clark Atlanta University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: “This space is definitely a difference”: the effects of a new building on school climate, Learning Environments Research, June 2024, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/s10984-024-09503-2.
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